MiMi Mei Fair

'It felt like I had been transported onto a Wong Kar-Wai movie set,’ quipped an inspector after visiting this three-storey Georgian townhouse. A picture-pretty fantasy trip imagined as the private residence of (make-believe) Empress MiMi – 'keeper of the most revered Chinese culinary secrets' – the venue has been brought to life by the team behind Jamavar and Bombay Bustle. It may seem off-script, with each floor individually designed and bijou spaces to suit different moods, but the result is instantly seductive: ‘We were taken up the narrow stairs into a room that evoked 1920s Shanghai chic – resplendent with floral wall coverings, peachy-coloured leather and Ming-inspired porcelain.' Meanwhile, engaging staff add to the pleasure of eating here. In the kitchen, veteran chef Peter Ho (ex-Hakkasan) takes diners on an 'anecdotal' culinary journey across China, beginning with first-rate dim sum – notably a selection of colourful xiao long bao (presented in a bamboo box), king crab dumplings with Chinese garlic, and sea urchin turnip puffs. From the main menu, two dishes stand out: langoustines delicately wrapped with angel-hair pasta, deep-fried, and cleverly paired with slivers of black Périgord truffle; and a sensational Beijing duck painstakingly prepared, roasted over applewood and carved theatrically at the table. To drink, cool and original cocktails are the go-to libations, although anyone hoping for good-value wines should think again. That said, MiMi's chi-chi glamour, vivacious vibe and high-quality food make it a ‘surprisingly immersive experience’.